Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In this study, cardiovascular disorders were examined with a focus on the aging pathway and autophagy involvement in cardiac samples isolated from male rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, male Wistar rats became diabetic with the help of a high-fat diet. Gene and protein expression levels (to evaluate Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, TNF-α) were measured by the ELISA method. Nrf2, p38, and GSK-3β proteins in cardiac tissue samples were measured by the western blotting method. Autophagy examination was performed with immunofluorescence staining. Finally, quantitative results were calculated using statistical analysis. RESULTS: The expression of beta-galactosidase genes had a significant increase in the diabetic group (P=0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in the expression of the SERCA2a gene between the diabetic and control groups. In terms of protein expression, the amount of TNF-α protein in the diabetic group was significantly different from that of the control group (P=0.0102). The expression levels of p38, Nrf2, and GSK-3β proteins increased compared with the control group. The use of the LC3 immunofluorescence staining technique revealed that autophagy increased in the diabetic group. CONCLUSION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats will increase aging in cardiac cells. Examination of the signaling pathway indicates that this effect is related to the increase of ROS and the activity of the signaling pathway. In response, the cardiac cells try to maintain their homeostasis by increasing autophagy and decreasing inflammatory cytokines.